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February 03, 2010

Cranky Fitness: It's Been a Blast, Folks

So at the end of this month, I'm afraid we're going to call it quits at Cranky Fitness.

Jo and Gigi still have very fine blogs of their own, so be sure to pop over to Chunky Monkey Mama or Head Nurse or perhaps the Wednesday Whine to see what they're up to. And don't forget to check in with our other beloved Cranky Emeritus, Merry, who blogs at Sheesh.

But as much as I've enjoyed hanging out at Cranky Fitness for the last few years, I've decided I'm ready to retire from the blogosphere.So what's the deal with that? And what happens next? Well, since I haven't done a blog interview in a while, perhaps I'll interview myself to get some answers to these and other Frequently Asked Totally Made Up Questions.

So Crabby, why are you quitting?

Two main reasons: 1. An unexpected job opportunity came up; and 2. I'm finding it harder and harder to do a decent job of blogging anymore, which is making it less fun. There are plenty of things I can be lame at that pay actual money; blogging has to be about the Fun.

After several years of writing posts, I find I'm really struggling to say anything new. Lately I've been making the same points and the same jokes over and over. I've been putting up increasingly crappy posts that I don't enjoy reading myself. I used to be willing to take a clunky, unfunny draft and rewrite it a bunch of times until it was better--now I just say the hell with it and post it anyway.

But How Can You Just Quit? Won't You Miss Us?

Oh God Yes!!

This is the hardest thing about giving up the blog. I love this community of bloggers, readers, and commenters. (And of course my awesome cobloggers, past and present). The Cranky Community is the reason I've been hanging on to the blog for as long as I have. If you could all just write the posts for me? We'd be set.

I've always thought the best thing about Cranky Fitness was the comments. You folks are witty, honest, perceptive, deep, diplomatic, unpredictable, and sometimes you just plain blow me away. Many of you have become true friends over the years, and it's really, really hard to think of not "hearing" your thoughts and opinons every day.

Will you still be around the internet, reading our blogs and commenting and tweeting? Or are you going to turn into a hermit-crab and just disappear?

I'll probably take an internet break for a while, but I'll pop up sooner or later. I may be in lurk mode for a while before I start commenting again. And I'm not sure what I want to do about Twitter. I suspect I'll let it lapse, then come back in few months full of silly stuff to say and craving an audience. Twitter may be perfect for that. So, um, please don't Unfollow me yet!

So does this mean there won't be a "Cranky Fitness" anymore after February?

Actually, there will still be a Cranky Fitness. After a bit of a break, I plan to come back and organize things so it's less like a blog a more like a health and fitness resource. I'm also hoping to occasionally post new content, or at least let you know what I'm up to. But there won't be regular weekday blog posts anymore.

The goal will be to make Cranky Fitness more accessible by topic, because there's a crapload of information in the archives that many newer readers may have missed and older readers may have forgotten. (You know how you are.) Got a question about the nutritional benefits of pistachios, or wonder what you should do if you're caught outdoors in a thunderstorm? Well, we got answers, but right now they're pretty impossible to find.

So if you guys aren't quitting until the end of the month, why are you telling us this now? Why not just slip off gracefully in a final post? Like, are we supposed to say goodbye now? But then you'll be back posting again for a few more weeks and won't it all seem a little awkward?

Yeah, it's a little weird. But I'm lousy at keeping secrets, and I'm not entirely comfortable with the idea of a one-post goodbye, even though it makes for a classier exit. This blog has meant too much to me to just pop in one day and say "bye, it's over!"

As to when to say good bye; anytime is good! I always read comments that come in, so you can stop by now or later. Or you can even go back to a 2 year old post about fish oil and bid us farewell there.

This is one of the hardest decisions I've ever made... I will totally miss hanging with you all at this weird little blog that's come to mean so much to me.

Crabby, the weirdest thing about this post: I have kept saying to myself for the past month that I was going to email you & ask if anything was wrong. I just felt something, I guess. BUT, I know how you hate to share real personal things & I was scared it was a family or relationship thing that might be happening & I felt it was none of my business. I really was going to e you about this! Something just felt wrong.

I am so sorry to see you go BUT I do understand. I am struggling with it myself too since I need to get to a real job & make some money so I don't end up on the street!

I have so enjoyed your blog. I think one of the first I started commenting on.

Thank you & look forward to whatever the future brings from you.

Stay well! Feel free to e if you want! After the internet break of course!

Yours, as you may remember from the Happy 101 award I passed to you, was the first blog I read and only read for a long time. It helped push me in the right direction towards my fitness journey. Thank you.

Awww... you guys are so sweet. I am SO gonna miss reading you all down here.

And Jody, yeah, when the job thing first started seeming like a possibility, I had to get my mind around the fact it might mean shutting down the blog--which involved mentally pulling back more. So no worries here, everything's great me and the Lobster and our families!

We're not sure on our Head East date, probably in the next couple weeks.

And the job is a web-based, health-related writing job, but alas, a somewhat more serious one than cranky fitness.

It's so cool too that CF was the first health blog some of you ever read! I'm just glad I didn't scare you away from the whole blog world since there are so many cool ones out there.

Aw, Crabby, I only first discovered you about 8 months ago, but even in that time, it's been a blast, indeed. This is the only fitness blog I've read regularly, so I guess I'll just go back to my non-fitness-centered reading and have a cupcake. ;)

This is so sad. You were my first blog, too. I enjoy reading your humor every morning. Please do update us on your new Web-based health writing job so we can follow you there! Best of luck with your new endeavor!!

I'm glad you're going to be around for a little while longer - I hate goodbyes. And you have no idea how relieved I felt when you said you weren't shutting down this blog altogether. I came across this blog maybe 6 months ago, and I've yet to read half of what's on here. It'll be great if you organise the posts.Good luck with your job, the rest of your life and with keeping healthy!

Awwww Crabby! We'll miss you (and Jo and Gigi)! But I sooo totally get it. So instead of begging you not to go, I'll wish you best of luck. And be sure to point us in the direction of your new gig so we can still stalk, er, I mean follow you. : )

And I think before you go we ought to throw a party for you and order some of these:http://www.sharoncakes.com/gallery2/v/Cupcakes/Cupcakes/CrabCC.jpg.html

How is it that you are the first fitness blog that so many have followed? Because you're the first one I ever read as well!

I'll really miss the crankiness over here. Some other blogs I need just don't have the same level of sarcasm or LOLcats to give my day a jumpstart. Thanks for helping to motivate me on my fitness journey and best of luck into the new changes in your life!

Have to say that I will miss your posts here, but yes, there are a ton of great things in the archives that people can read. (I still love the 'Entitlement' post best, but there's also the Flat Stomach one, or the... well, there's good stuff in them there archives :)

I'm at a loss for words. I've always enjoyed coming here for some tart humor. You will be missed. Hope you do post from time to time though. I wish all the Cranky Fitness folks a very happy and healthy life. :)

Awwww...but I just found you! I definitely understand, as much as something means to you, as much as you'll miss it, you sometimes just need to move on. Good luck with your new job and I'll have to find you on twitter. :)

I can not even comprehend the discipline it takes to post regularly on a blog (esp. without the money rolling in). And I say that as someone who really enjoys writing. But, what I want, how I want, when I want. Yeah, I'm disciplined alright!

This "There are plenty of things I can be lame at that pay actual money; blogging has to be about the Fun." says EVERYTHING to me. I don't see this as an end, my friend, but a beginning of bigger and better things. I love you and you will be missed but I totally 100% support you in this. Stay in touch:)

I'm sad for us (I cannot remember how I found this place, but lucky me), and happy for your new employment. (Never would I stand over a writer with a whip crying "Write faster! Faster!" No, never.) There are other health blogs I enjoy, but they just don't have the same flavor. Just make sure you close with a bang and not a whimper.

This is traumatic. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA basically expresses my feeling about it. I will miss you terribly, isn't that silly? I'm glad you're leaving the site up because there's great stuff here. You will be much missed. I really appreciate your stopping by my blog-- I was so starstruck when you commented :) I hope the new job is a thrilling one. Best of luck and do pop up now and then, okay?

Echoing everyone else, I will miss your everyday crankiness. But I also look forward to you as a resource. And to hearing what you are getting up to post daily blogging. And totally understand your decision. Thanks for the fun and great info!

Awww Crabby.. that's a disappointment for sure. Yours was the first blog (aside from Frank's) that I began visiting even before I started blogging. It was your kind and friendly responses to everyone's comments that inspired me to do the same with mine. I will sure miss you but I'm happy for you that you've got a gig to keep you busy and employed. Best of luck to you. And I sure hope you'll drop by now and again once the lights are off and the last cupcake disappears from your blog.

Thank you for making my and my technicians day, every day for the last 10 months.

Thanks for keeping us in the fitness mood. 12 of us are all healthier because you make us smile, snicker and laugh with your wonderful sense of humor. You make fitness fun. In a world of spandex and fake perkiness, your reality helped all of us learn to at least tolerate, if not always love exercise. The whining helps.

Just want you to know there are 12 people who's lives you touched deeply even though we have never met. I suspect many more.

Best of luck in your new position. You write with such "voice" that company is lucky.

I wrote once to ask about something you'd mentioned in one of your articles and you took the time to write back. I appreciate that.

I was ambivalent about fitness. I felt that since I wasn't a gym bunnie with a fit body and a perky 'I love fitness' attitude that I didn't deserve to be fit and that I didn't belong anywhere near a gym. Reading your blog really has helped me on my road to accepting fitness as a good thing.

I saw the title 'Cranky Fitness' and that pretty much summed it all up!

"I shouldn't have been such a slacker commenter..she would've staaaayed!"

RIGHT?

ok. maybe not.

I'm getting a rapid onset case of the warm fuzzies. I had so. much. fun. over here...you know, back in the day...pre-four-monkey-craziness. You possess two of my favorite qualities in a blog: making me think and making me laugh.Thanks for sticking around as long as you did. I know a little of the joys and anguish of moving on. Good luck with your new adventure! :)

{{cranky}} I'm with Carla that my first instinct is to ask you to say, but I also understand (trust me, I REALLY get it) why you're leaving. I, too, remember the day you posted a comment on one of my posts and I thought, "OMG! Cranky reads my blog!" and I got all nervous and stuff. Best of luck to you with the new (paying!) job. I will miss you.

I am gutted that I won't get to read your wonderful writing! but can soooo soooo understand your reasons. Hope to see you around the traps and best of luck and all good wishes with the job opportunity and whatever comes next. Thank you also again for your help with the book tour thingy last year :)

Well you know I can TOTALLY relate to you on EVERY single point. I retired Back in Skinny Jeans for many of the same reasons. Blog burnout is a challenging thing coupled with wanting to write about different things. I totally laughed when you said that you were starting to post things even you wouldn't want to read. lol! I've done that so many times too.

Enjoy your break! Seriously, it is wonderful although you will experience some withdrawl symptoms like the blogger shakes. "must write..must post...oh no stop."

I think we'll be seeing you back on the interwebs full swing one day because a writer has to write and the blogosphere is full of so many delicious connections {wink:}

There are so many things I want say. Like others, yours was the first fitness blog I kept reading. I love the humorously delivered advice and info (and comments), which is why I kept coming back for more. I'm going to miss you.

The first thing I though when I read your post sum it all up succinctly though. Ah crap!

OK I guess my timing really sucks. Can you believe that THIS is my first visit to your blog!!?? I guess it's better for me not to know what wonders I've been missing or I'd be kicking and screaming like the rest of the commenters :-)

No, seriously, I'm glad that you gave a few weeks' notice so that at least I can catch you on your swan song. And I love love love the idea of organizing the blog for reference because I'd be so all over that!

I'm hope that this won't be the last to be seen of you in the blogosphere- from what everyone says you have far too much to offer to stay completely away forever! :-)

Okay, I'm happy for you, but CF is the only fitness blog that I regularly read, and the only fitness blog that I have *ever* commented at, and the only blog of any kind where I've won something just for commenting. All this in spite of the fact that in real life I'm a fitness junkie.

So I'm sad to see Cranky Fitness go. I'm particularly sad because all those other fitness blogs just take themselves so frickin' seriously.

poop

We'll miss you, Crabby (and Jo and Gigi, and yes, even Merry Sunshine who we already miss), and Cranky Fitness every day. Be well, and I hope we'll hear from you again someday.

AREYOUKIDDINGME?!You're leaving. OMG. I leave my computer for one week and the blogosphere goes to hell. WTH?First off, I never thanked you for giving me a major shout out all over the internet about my earbuds post. The readers I've gotten from that show up every single day. I was afraid I would have to get a PR person it was so fantastical.Secondly, you really do operate the only "fitness" blog I read or care about. And I have always been impressed with the detail and information you have on all your posts. Not dull at all.Lastly, I really do hope you post every once in a while, just to let us know there is still funniness in the health/fitness world.

Cranky, I will really miss the Cranky Fitness blog!! You have been my role model, truly. Though I'm a relatively new reader, yours is one of my favorite blogs in cyberspace and you guys have always made me laugh. I want to thank you, though, for inspiring me. I just wish I'd discovered your blog earlier. Peace, love and rock & roll.